Humans
“What separates humans from the others, however, is our bloodline's capabilities to adapt. If our society can be restructured from a militaristic feudal nightmare to an entrepreneur's dream, a man can turn his sword into a plowshare.” '- Theron Alduous, first Bishop of Galaena' Hailing from the western grasslands of Fhomnair, humans are plentiful across the land of Haven. Humans live anywhere and everywhere save for the Unda communities in the ocean and the tunnels of the Noxcess. Humans are also well known for being profitable merchants, eloquent ambassadors and politicians, and clever opportunists. It is easy to make friends with a human, and they are more than happy to be friendly to strangers. If a human can’t help someone with a specific problem, they likely know someone who can. They are also known for being self-serving, cunning, and powerless to vice and luxury. While most humans don’t seek to actively harm, it is hard to distinguish between sincerity and subterfuge in humans. Furthermore, due to the competitive nature of business in Ponente, humans have a tendency to readily take advantage of others in the name of furthering goals. A human’s home is likely to be rife with whatever niceties he or she can afford to impress guests, but will lock up their private spaces lest their degenerate lifestyles are revealed Art: The Humans may once have been not much more than connoisseurs of art, the influx of wealth that came with the rise of the Merchant Houses and their desire to create things for themselves led to a renaissance of art. They thrive when it comes to both the visual and the preforming arts, great play and opera houses litter their major cities, with museums of fine art spattered in between. Nowhere is more concentrated in buildings of the arts than Ponente, where the rich spend their days watching the grandest performances on all of Haven or buying art in massive auctions, helping distract them from the ever growing number of poor in their streets. Appearance: Humans come in all shapes and sizes. Since they have implemented themselves across Haven and into other race’s cultures, their clothing and jewelry generally seem to have originated from wherever they are staying. Many lower class Humans appear to wear simple garb, but when around others of status, even poor Humans try to show their best sides and finest of outer-wear and accessories. Usually higher ranking Humans, or those connected to any of the Merchant Houses will also carry a family crest or symbol of the name/station to impress others and gain sway with local Traders. Geography: Though many cities have sprung up over the years, the heart of Fhomnair will always be the city of Ponente. The extremely wealthy, the grotesquely ambitious, and the dreadfully poor all live there in scores, and though there is nowhere near enough space, many flock to it as it is shown (however inaccurate as it may be) as the city of possibilities, of success, of rags to riches. In the recent centuries however, 2 new major cities have sprung up in the homes of the of the 2 of the 5 great Merchant Houses, as those houses developed around bountiful natural resources. These cities are: Darmay, a coastal port city under the Trentin Alliance with more trading, fishing, and military ships coming and going than anywhere else on Haven, however due to this also their fair share of pirates and crime. And Ebonfold Keep, the military stronghold of the Ebony Legion, around which a city has quickly built itself in both hopes of protection from the Legion against bandits, and it’s close proximity to a multitude of farmlands. Most of Fhomnair however, is open land. And though much is occupied by farmland, particularly in the south-east where soil is more fertile, hamlets and small towns dot it’s landscape near everywhere one may look, all connected by an excessive amount of roads. In the north it is more the same, though it’s primary industries lean away from farming and more into mining and lumber. In the West, the cities stick close to the coastline, thriving on it’s fishing and fishing and trade, though under constant threat of pirates. Cuisine: Due to their culture, Humans have a healthy diet of whatever goods are passing through their market. On top of this, due to their vast farmlands they have a stable intake of grains and basic vegetables, but their variety and finer foods come from their excessive trading routes. You can generally tell how wealthy a man is by the quality of his meals. Traditions and Holidays: * Commemoration Day - The day that the great bank was created and the day that humanity FINALLY regained a foothold in their ever changing world. Lavish feasts and parties are held for 3 days (mainly by those who hold a high reputation with the bank), to indulge in all of the bounties life has to offer if you can “make it” in this world. Folklore & Cultural Figures: The majority of Human folklore centers around historical heroes of their society, mostly sticking to exaggerated tellings of the truth, though many legends do exist from before the Humans fell to the Gemna in the Human Genocide (as legends are all that exist from that time). * King Athos VII, the last King of the humans. A benevolent king who stood against the Gemna incursion until his final breath. Though any actual history of his rule has long since been lost, many legends still exist, telling of his many great exploits in both battle and leadership, but most of all his prowess at filling his Kingdom's coffers. Most of these legends are clearly fictional, but bring national pride to the Humans nonetheless. * Dimidus Videcci, founder of the great Bank of Ponente. He is often displayed as a symbol of Human potential, the idea that anyone can make it in the world should they put the effort in. Though most of his story is shrouded in generations of deifying legends, the stories tell of him rising from a mere farmer to the richest man in all of Fhomnair through his prowess in trade, his ability to suck up to anyone, and his loyalty to himself and himself alone. He died with no children, ending the Videcci line just as it became relevant because he feared his ancestors may sully his great legacy. * Sir Dylan Fairbrook, the first man ever knighted. * Sir Garrik Walker, the man who brought the concept of Knights to Fhomnair. Military: The Humans do not hold an official army, however the Ebony Legion would gladly be for the right price or a promise of victory and glory. Though smaller than other nation’s armies, the soldiers of Ebonfold Keep are some of the best trained soldiers found anywhere on Haven. However, should the region go to war again, there are others that could be called on to supplement the Legion. Many Knight’s Orders have sprung up following the founding of The Order of the Golden Lance in 2019, which swear fealty to the different Merchant Houses or are sometimes independent under their own code of ethics. Social Structure The bank and Merchant Houses are the only true leaders among the Human Populus, which to many humans represent the idea that anyone can come out on top of the heap, no matter your standing at birth, they are a symbol of opportunity, despite the Ruling class of the Houses being near exclusively rich and influential families. Five major merchant families control most of the new cities of Fhomnair: The Iron Order The Iron Order grew from the alliance of guilds in mining and smithing. Settlements in the North that show promise for ore mining quickly find the Fafnik family (Currently headed by Lord Gregor Fafnik) seizing control. The iron order often funds the construction of castle keeps and other classical human structures, and has also established a rather strong lumber industry due to the amount of wood required for such buildings. The Knight’s Order known as the “Steelsung” serve this House. * This Family has a sigil of two crossed hammers above a shield. The Trentin Alliance The Tretin Alliance was originally a number of guilds involved with coastal settlements involved in fishing and sea trade. Though previously offering defense against Unda trespassers, though recently instead have been making alliances with the Unda to ensure easy passage through the outer sea and access to island territories. Their home port is port Darmay, in the southwest, and is home to the current leader Lady Eruin Trentin. Despite this, it’s likely a few pirates have connections in their port towns. * Their sigil is a chest, crossed with silver spears. ' '''The Silverthorns' The Silverthorns have but one keep, but their members carry their business all over Fhomnair, functioning among meeting halls and seeking seclusion. Functioning as a guild network for herbalists, hunters, and alchemists, the guild’s secretive function and decentralized nature invites scathing rumors of profane rituals and other questionable history. The Knight’s Order known as the “Vinewood Pact” serve this House. * Their sigil is a brown potion bottle in the center of a green leaf. ' The Marigolds The Marigold family are the most traditional of the influential humans, a family made of smaller families including the famous Fhazison family, clinging to the old ways of banking and commerce. Originating in the capital city of Ponente, their guild holds strong connections to Compass Rose and the outgoing trade caravans in their efforts to maintain the Note's influence on Haven. Though stubborn and greedy, they have the smooth running of the nation in their best interest, as a cultural collapse is simply bad for business. this guild clings to what control they have of the great bank of Ponente. Lead by Lord Virk Marigold, who since taking power has erected walls around the great bank and only allows the wealthiest and most notable individuals into the actual building. The Knight’s Order known as the “Hands of Commerce” serve this House * Their sigil is a marigold flower. ' The Ebony Legion The Ebony Legion, led by Lady Brianna Ebenfold and the Ebenfold family, operate to the south east of Fhomanair in the Ebenfold Keep. Though they started out as a small but effective mercenary company in the farmlands, the family rose to power through the exemplary, though harsh and strict, training of their forces and contracting out said forces throughout Fhomnair. Many recruits to the guild are street urchins looking to survive or those desperate to pay off debts to the great bank and their fiendish loan sharks. As such, the legion will offer to pay your debts or living expenses in full, in exchange for a contract of service to their cause. Given the location and nature of their rule, they have control over much of Fhomnair’s, as it helps greatly lessen the cost of feeding and maintaining their forces. * Their sigil is a black horned helmet. '''' Human History First Era (before year 0): Though human history is sparse at best (due to reasons you will soon read), legends kept by the humans often claim that they may have been the first living race of Haven. This suggestion is not baseless - many anatomy guides follow human physiology as their baseline due to their uncannily average bodies. * The First Human/Mountainfolk War - They were plentiful and prosperous, but their air of superiority would cause them trouble when first introduced to the Mountainfolk, which quickly led to them driving the Mountainfolk to the, well, mountains, due to the fear of their foreign nature, slaughtering any who did not flee. Second Era (0-1499): Growing in number, the Humans under their noble line of monarchs became the most numerous race on Haven, many considering the first half of the Second Era the Era of Men. They were not only strong through trade either, they had vast and well trained armies, and held much of the central lands of Haven that now belong to other races. But they had stretched themselves to far and thin, and like all vast empires, their fall was imminent. * The Human Genocide (1100-1105) - After many years the now organized Gemna re-emerged from the deep with weapons and training far beyond that of the Humans, and drove the Humans to near extinction, destroying the once present monarchy along with most records of their history before this time. It is said that the city of Ponente was the only city to survive this war, leading it to being the capital city it is today. Faced with the inability to strike back, Humans migrated across Haven to build bonds With others, learn all that they could, and undercut the Gemna whenever they gained the opportunity. Third Era (1500-2019): And get back they did, by not only reverse engineering and sharing the unique smithing and spellcrafting techniques that the Gemna prized, but also slowly grow their commerce to the point of holding it in their hands. When the first bank was established, it was the humans who started it. For a time, however, the bank also functioned as their only form of government, led by a board of share-holders who had invested in the bank and so owned a share in the nation. * The War of Time (2019-2020) - When the war of time began, the humans were forced to form a military of their own through conscription to protect themselves and quell the cultist uprisings happening across the lands, this military would later break up into the noble Knights' Orders of Ponente. Though they did defend their own lands however, they did not take part in the war as a whole, instead choosing to build up their own defenses, which began the resource boom that led to the rise of the merchant houses. Fourth/Current Era (2020-2277): In the last few centuries however, powerful families have begun to prosper through many of the untapped resources further out in the grasslands, and they formed the Great Merchant Houses that now hold sway over the humans. However, with the power they held, these Merchant Houses were not benevolent families, as they sought out their own wealth and growth above anything. Though many lords have taken to codes of ethics to impose responsibility on those with power, many find themselves struggling dog-eat dog to earn their rights to free land and compete with the merchant families’ control over business.